After five long years of endless tireless studying, Aelfric at the ripe age of eighteen applied to apprentice under a master healer in the nearest city of Wivern’s Rest.
March 19, 1119
Winton village
To: The master healer,
Wivern’s Rest citadel.
Dear sir,
I am writing you from the tiny village of Winton. I aim to inform you about my desire to apprentice under your tutorship and care.
It has been my strongest desire for quite a while now to become a healer, and to this effect, I have spent the last five years studying to acquire all the knowledge necessary as my prerequisites. I am entirely confident that I am ready for practice and apprenticeship…
It would gladden my heart very much if this letter is accompanied back with positive feedback. I look forward to hearing from you, most noble master.
Yours sincerely,
Aelfric Simbal.
Aelfric rolled up the scroll he had written his letter on and tied it. He stacked it away for the messenger that’ll arrive in a few days. The letter was picked up two days later by a messenger who usually comes to every Fortnite to deliver and collect messages. The Wivern’s Rest Citadel was one of the largest citadels there was, and it took the messenger about three days to provide the letter from the small village of Winton to the Citadel’s city.
**** ***** ***** *****
“Aelfric? Aelfric! Aelfric!” cried a loud shrill but excited voice. The call came from the front of the house. Young Aelfric, who was cleaning the house on hearing his name, turned to the door.
” Ma!” he answered. His mother, by this time, had gotten inside.
“Oh my dear son, come here,” She pulled him and hugged him tightly, released him, and showered him with slippery kisses.
“Awww, mum, stop and tell me already. What’s the excitement about?” He asked, laughing and wiping the kisses off his face.
“Here.” She handed him a letter. On the front of the letter was written, From Wivern Rest. He stared at the envelope in his hands, quite confused about what to do.
“Come on now. Open it.” She urged. The flap was already torn open, but he opened it nonetheless, with shaking hands.
Dear Aelfric,
Your letter of application was gotten. Your level of enthusiasm and interest was with no doubt spewed all over your words in your letter. With this, I am pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to learn as my apprentice at the citadel. You are welcome to begin lessons and practice at any time. But you should know that you are to start on the sixth night from today, and time waits for no man. Attached to this letter is a list of all the necessary equipment you will need and an address of the hostel you will be staying in.
Yours sincerely,
Arcus Greenfield.
Aelfric squealed with excitement as he hugged his mother again.
“You see? You are going to make a good healer. The best in the village.” His mother said, holding his face. Aelfric, who was grinning from ear to ear, nodded in agreement.
“I should start packing. I’m to leave before the sixth night as lessons will start then.” He makes to leave to his room. But suddenly, he stopped and looked at his mother. There were tears in her eyes. He walked back to her and took her hand.
“What is it, Ma?” He asked. She shook her head as if to say Nothing. “Ahh, I know what it is. You are too shy to tell me that you will miss this sweet little boy of yours. I get it, mom, but I still have about four days before I leave. And I will write to you thrice every week.” He said, pushing back his mind tears. She smiled as she peered into his eyes but still held back her words. “Okay, every night. Deal?”
“Yes.” She said as she let out a laugh and hugs him tightly. “Oh, my sweet little boy.”
***
Time indeed flew without pity for man, especially for one who might not have made haste. Days had gone by. Four days and nights had gone by every day, causing him to draw closer to his departure from his mother. His bags stood beside his bed, all packed up. Aelfric sat down on his bed, wrapped around his thoughts. He wished she waited. His sister, Itzel.
“Aelfric, be quick. You don’t want to be late to Wivern Rest.” The voice stopped him from diving into his reverie. He checked the old clock by his desk. He lost track of time. He quickly took his bags and made his way to his mother in the sitting room.
“Take this.” His mother handed a tiny bag of coins to him with a smile. “I have been saving this for you in case of something like this. It’s not much but enough to put food on your table for some weeks.”
“Ma, you didn’t have to…”
“Shhh… It’s the least I could do for you, my boy.” She interrupted. He hugged her and pulled away to look at her face. “No, Mum, we already talked about this. I will write to you as soon as I get to Arcus Island.” She kissed his cheek and embraced him.
Just as he was withdrawing from his mother’s embrace, Aelfric saw Mildred walking towards where he and his mother stood. She had a little woven basket in her hand. The top of the basket was covered with a piece of white fabric.
“Aelfric darling, I see you’re packed and ready to leave,” she spoke pretty soberly.
“Yes, ma’am. I’m only waiting for the bullocky to arrive. I was told he would be any moment now.” Aelfric replied, nodding his head.
“That’s wonderful news, my boy. I’m so proud of you for the path you have chosen to go down. It makes me immensely happy to think of this choice you have made. I’m sure Beeta and Itzel will be so much so too.”
“Nothing would please me more than that, Mrs. Mildred.”
She pressed her lips together and nodded curtly. “Here, I made you my special scone bread. Trust me, and you would enjoy it. It should last you at least a day or two.” She handed him the basket.
“That’s very thoughtful of you, my friend. Thank you.” Aurelia told her.
“Thank you, Dame. It would save me the stress of finding what to eat when I reach the citadel.” He took the basket from her.
“It’s nothing, dear Aelfric. Just focus on your studies and be the best you can. Make us proud.”
“I promise. I will.”
The thump-thump of horse hooves could be heard behind them. The bullocky had arrived. His wagon was made of pure cedarwood, and the wheels were made from a ruddier shade of wood. The wagon driver usually comes to Winton to transport residents who wanted to travel to the citadel. He was a young lad of average height, with a weirdly shaped nose and shiny black hair and eyes.
“Come now. Hop on. We haven’t got all the time in the world.” He said impatiently to the group.
Aelfric gathered his pieces of luggage and climbed into the wagon. He looked back at his mother and Dame Mildred after he was seated. The wagon driver was already beginning to drive away.
“I’ll write you, Ma.” He told his mother.
“I wouldn’t expect otherwise. Good luck, my son, and God’s speed.” She and Mildred waved at him.
“I love you, Ma.” He shouted. The distance between them widening with the ticking away of every second. Aelfric kept waving until their figures were nothing but specks in the distance and stopped finally when even the specks disappeared.
“So, where exactly in the citadel are you headed?” The wagon driver asked Aelfric after he had driven quite a distance.
“I’m going to the master healer’s compound. Master Arcus by name. Do you know him?”
“The legendary Master Arcus. Of course, I know him. There isn’t a single soul in Wivern’s Rest that doesn’t know the master healer. He has been of great help to thousands of family including mine. I remember when I was little and had the miserable chickenpox, it was master Arcus that helped cure my ailment.”
“Such amazing things to hear. I cannot wait to meet him.”
“So, what are you visiting him. Do you have a sick family member you want him to treat? Or perhaps you are related to him?”
“No, no. It’s none of those things. I am to be his apprentice. That’s why I am going to wivern’s rest.”
“Really? Like you want to be a healer?” The bullocky’s amazement was written boldly on his face.
“Why, of course. I have wanted that for quite a while now.”
“But you’re only just a boy! You can’t be a healer.” He shook his head, trying to make sense of it all.
“I started studying at an early age due to a tragic incident that happened to my family. Now I have the knowledge I need to be a healer, and I only need the experience to complete my learning. I wrote to the citadel, and master Arcus agreed to take me in as an apprentice.” Aelfric explained.
“Good one, boy. Your parents must be proud of you. Congratulations.”
“Thank you, Sir.”
“I have to make just one more stop to carry some old folks going to the citadel, and then we’ll be on our way.”
“Alright, sir.”
When they got to the citadel five hours later, the wagon and its occupants were coated in dust. The passengers that the bullocky picked last dropped at the city’s central square.
“Sit tight, lad. I’ll take you straight to master Arcus’s compound, don’t you worry.” He told Aelfric, who was already trying to get down from the carriage.
“Thank you, my good sir. I would appreciate that.”
Thirty minutes later, they arrived at a small thatched hut with an expansive compound.
“We are here, lad. That is master Arcus’s compound.” He pointed towards the hut.
“I appreciate your help. Thank you.” Aelfric got down from the carriage with his belongings.
“Don’t mention it, lad.” The bullocky called back as he drove away.
Aelfric met with the master, who would become his teacher and mentor for the next decade. He entered the hut of a house as he’d been instructed in his master’s correspondences.
“Master Arcus, It’s Aelfric. Come to start my training”. From behind a dusty curtain, a hand has begun to swipe lazily. An older man’s distracted face emerged after a few ill-fated attempts to displace the threadbare length of fabric.
The face revealed was one weathered not only by a life but also by death and disease and beautified by his witnessing the miracle of survival. He radiated a tired, painful sort of contentedness. Curiosity sparked in the light behind his bright golden eyes. He wore robes of thick burlap, lined softly with wool. He walked like a tall man, who had lost several inches over indeterminable years, as he rose and stepped closer to the boy. Though his white beard and full head of hair were neatly groomed, and his face was soft and stern as a grandmother.
“Ah, Aelfric, is it?” Arcus asked with a stern face.
“Yes, master. I’m so excited to be here, sir. My mother…” The stern look on Arcus’s face caused an excited Aelfric to stop talking. Arcus shook his head.
“I see. You must be tired from your journey. You should rest. I’m off to do my routine rounds in the town.”
“I can come with you. I know you might need help with your bag and…”
“No. Today you rest. Tomorrow we start your lessons.” With that said, Arcus walked to the door. But then he stopped abruptly and turned to the young lad. He gives him a look as if to ask a question. But instead of an answer, Aelfric just stood staring at him a little quizzical.
“Hmph, do you still have the address of the hostel I told you about in my letter?
” Oh yes, I do.”
“Great, you should be able to find your way there.” Arcus walked off without waiting for a response.
Young Aelfric stood transfixed as he watched his master leave. He didn’t know whether to be scared or not to be scared of his master, the man was old, but his aura commanded respect. But what he knew for sure was that he would do his best to make it to his master’s good books and become a great healer. Aelfric searched his pocket for the letter his master had sent to him. He looked for the address on the letter. And with the address in his head, he headed to the hostel.
*****
When he got to the hostel, the name “casa de curandero para niños” was carved into the greying mortar walls. The building had one deck, and from where Aelfric was standing, he could see a lot of bustling activity around the hostel. There was some debris scattered all around the space. He walked up to one of the boys standing in the hostel’s front.
“Hello, good evening. I’m Aelfric, and I’m new here. Please can you tell me where the Botus room is located?” He asked the boy who had an amusing hairstyle with the front cut low and the back longer in his head.
“Well, look what we have here.” He thundered, drawing the attention of the other boys. “Another fool that thinks he’s good enough to be a healer. Another smart fellow come to show the rest of us how undeserving we are to be here, eh?” The other boys snickered at Aelfric, inching closer.
“No, I want to be shown where my room is. I don’t want any trouble.” Aelfric said, raising his hands and backing away from the advancing crew.
“Did you hear that lads, he doesn’t want any trouble?” Somehow this amused the boys, and they let out a loud laugh. “So please leave him the hell alone.” More bellowing laughter.
“Find something else to do, Simon.” It was a new boy. He was tall and lean with red hair and freckles on his nose.
“Look! It’s the worm in shiny armor come to save the day.” The boy called Simon said, waving his fingers in the air. The new boy ignored him and turned to Aelfric.
“Hi, I’m Elthius. I take it you’re new here.”
“I am. I’m looking for the Botus room.” Aelfric answered. By now, Simon and his crew had gotten bored and went to look for other forms of entertainment.
“Follow me, and I’ll show you to your room. Do you need help with your bags?”
“No, thank you.”
“Alright, this way.”
The room had eight wooden bunk beds and little space in between them. Most of the beds were heaped with piles of scattered clothes.
“Welcome to the Botus Room. I’m the room representative for this room coincidentally too. Here’s your bed. You can settle in now.”
“Thank you, Elthius. My name is Aelfric, by the way.”
“Welcome, Aelfric.” Aelfric nodded and moved to his bed space to unpack his bag. By the time he was done, it was night already. He pulled out the woven basket containing the bread Mildred had given him and ate two. He decided to go to bed early since his big day was starting the next day, but the room’s noise, not to mention the heat and stank, made it difficult for him to sleep. After almost an hour of trying to sleep, he finally did amidst the noise and chaos.